I've seen Moore play a few times and have some contact with folks who follow b-ball in that corner of Montgomery County. I'm probably the biggest cynic when it comes to the "under-the-radar/diamond-in-the-rough/late-bloomer" title as there is. It's used too often and usually in a way to put a positive "spin" on low-potential recruits. It ranks right up there with "She's got a great personality" and "It's not a demotion, it's a strategic reassignment". However, in the case of Clifton Moore, the title is appropriate. I think he's going to be really good.
Locals: The best gauge of his value is how locals (who really know the game) were desperate to keep him...as in him playing for Temple, Lasalle or St. Joes. Philly folks are a bit like Indiana folks in their distaste for kids "leaving the nest". They're use to it by now with kids that are stars early on, so they hold out hope for the kids that blow up late and commit with a Big 5 school before the "heavies" come in. Temple folks I know really wanted Moore sealed up before it got too late into Fall as the murmurs of his play over the Summer were getting hard to conceal. One Temple friend said "we know he'll get 'discovered' someday, but it better be 2 Marches from now on CBS prime time in a Temple uni." When I texted him the news Moore had snuck into Bloomington for a visit this weekend, his reply was a four letter word I won't repeat. Followed by: "You're getting a STEAL in him". Note: Indiana has a particular level of esteem with Philly locals, namely men in their 50s-70s who follow basketball. Given that the two times Philly hosted the Final 4, just so happened to be 1976 and 1981. I think the Spectrum must have employed a few thousand kids under the age of 18 given the number of times I wear IU apparel and have been approached by 50-something locals asserting "I was a (insert menial stadium employee title) for that 1976 title game".
My Own Eyes: So I've only seen him live once and caught bits and parts of games on local tv. Get more feedback from locals in that area. I do plan to watch him more this winter now that he's coming to IU.
- I remember how impressed I was with his handle. He was very comfortable with the ball and definitely plays like a guard more than a big.
- His mid range game looked really refined. He hit multiple pull ups both in warmups and live action and looked like it's something he's worked on and is proficient. 3-point shooting is strong. Hits them well in warmups from my recollection. Sorta have to remind yourself it's a 6-10 kid that's shooting them.
- Match-up nightmare is probably a good description. Hatboro uses him well. He'll catch the ball up top and pressure the defense with his pull-up game. If that's not open he'll drop it off and go right down into the post. Not sure many teams at that level can just stick one guy on him from 25-feet out and down to the post. He does need to put on muscle. I think at the next level he'll have the potential to draw a lot of fouls, but right now he doesn't have that and-1 strength to take contact and complete a play. When he does (with IU's strength/conditioning), he'll be a real problem for opponents. On the defensive side, he's some time (and pounds) away from guarding traditional 4s in the big ten. At the same time, I'm not sure traditional 4s in the big ten could easily guard him right now.
- If being a "big" with a guard-mentality is his strength, his weakness is being a big with a guard-mentality. He'll get a rebound or a feed down low against a smaller player and shoot these Nowitzki fade-aways when he should have absolutely taken right back up. He's working on one of those Haston-like mini hook-shots (more just an over-head, high-release floater), but it needs some work. He also needs to learn that just because you CAN dribble in the open court doesn't mean you SHOULD in all cases. He can have the ball knocked out of his hands on drives in traffic and needs to learn when he holds the ball high (with his reach), few people can get at it. I've been told he's getting better at all of this and that "he's just now learning what he can do with his body" and "what people aren't able to do to him anymore now that he's 6-10.5, not 6-1".
- OMG moments: In a fairly boring part of the game, he broke the monotony with a flying-over-the-top block on a break...I sincerely thought he was going to concuss his head on the backboard he got so high. His reach looked like he could have blocked it with his elbow. I do remember the crowd had one of this "Ooooooo!" reactions. Felt like an NBA player checked into a PA 4-A game for one play. He can challenge shots in the lane from players other than his man. Later in the game he had a drive to the basket on a break where he did a smooth, gliding, side-step finger-roll around a defender trying to take a charge. While impressive, what got me was how easy it seemed. Guy I was with said "Last year he could do maybe one or two real WOW plays a game. This year he's doing it more like 4-6 times a game. Imagine what he'll be doing next year?" He can dunk and quite easily and had one that was high-level stuff. Because of his reach and smooth jumping, he does have some "hang time". With more strength, he'll be able to dunk off offensive boards, which I think is the next tool for him to add.
- JJ: While he's not (yet) at a Jarred Jeffries level, that was the first impression I got from watching him warm-up. The "kids-that-big-shouldn't-be-able-to-do-those-things" vibe. You see talented bigs that can shoot...but then asked to put it on the floor and they get ripped by quicker defenders because their dribble skills aren't there. That's not Moore. I watched JJ at BNHS and he had that knack for taking the ball high and making 2 and 3-dribble moves for pull-ups that even skilled bigs just can't do consistently. That's the sense you get with Moore. He's just hard to guard given his handle, reach and shooting touch. He's a challenge to tag with traditional "position", given what he can do consistently.
BBIQ: I'd say it's pretty high in the time I've watched. Those that watch him more say it's "really high". I watched him block a shot that most kids his age send to the 5th row, that he seemed to lightly tap the block to his teammate to start a break. Was told he's good with making good decisions in "game situations"...ie: won't take it in for a dunk if team is up late and better to hold for clock. His reputation as a student is well known. "He could go to the Ivys" was one comment I remember.
So upside is a smart kid, good handle, delicate shooting touch from mid-range and 3, athletic, "over the top" shot-blocking potential, and future foul-magnet. Downside is kid that needs weight, muscle and some realization that he's no longer 6-1.
Look forward to catching Hatboro this Winter. Will try and shoot/post some videos if possible.
Locals: The best gauge of his value is how locals (who really know the game) were desperate to keep him...as in him playing for Temple, Lasalle or St. Joes. Philly folks are a bit like Indiana folks in their distaste for kids "leaving the nest". They're use to it by now with kids that are stars early on, so they hold out hope for the kids that blow up late and commit with a Big 5 school before the "heavies" come in. Temple folks I know really wanted Moore sealed up before it got too late into Fall as the murmurs of his play over the Summer were getting hard to conceal. One Temple friend said "we know he'll get 'discovered' someday, but it better be 2 Marches from now on CBS prime time in a Temple uni." When I texted him the news Moore had snuck into Bloomington for a visit this weekend, his reply was a four letter word I won't repeat. Followed by: "You're getting a STEAL in him". Note: Indiana has a particular level of esteem with Philly locals, namely men in their 50s-70s who follow basketball. Given that the two times Philly hosted the Final 4, just so happened to be 1976 and 1981. I think the Spectrum must have employed a few thousand kids under the age of 18 given the number of times I wear IU apparel and have been approached by 50-something locals asserting "I was a (insert menial stadium employee title) for that 1976 title game".
My Own Eyes: So I've only seen him live once and caught bits and parts of games on local tv. Get more feedback from locals in that area. I do plan to watch him more this winter now that he's coming to IU.
- I remember how impressed I was with his handle. He was very comfortable with the ball and definitely plays like a guard more than a big.
- His mid range game looked really refined. He hit multiple pull ups both in warmups and live action and looked like it's something he's worked on and is proficient. 3-point shooting is strong. Hits them well in warmups from my recollection. Sorta have to remind yourself it's a 6-10 kid that's shooting them.
- Match-up nightmare is probably a good description. Hatboro uses him well. He'll catch the ball up top and pressure the defense with his pull-up game. If that's not open he'll drop it off and go right down into the post. Not sure many teams at that level can just stick one guy on him from 25-feet out and down to the post. He does need to put on muscle. I think at the next level he'll have the potential to draw a lot of fouls, but right now he doesn't have that and-1 strength to take contact and complete a play. When he does (with IU's strength/conditioning), he'll be a real problem for opponents. On the defensive side, he's some time (and pounds) away from guarding traditional 4s in the big ten. At the same time, I'm not sure traditional 4s in the big ten could easily guard him right now.
- If being a "big" with a guard-mentality is his strength, his weakness is being a big with a guard-mentality. He'll get a rebound or a feed down low against a smaller player and shoot these Nowitzki fade-aways when he should have absolutely taken right back up. He's working on one of those Haston-like mini hook-shots (more just an over-head, high-release floater), but it needs some work. He also needs to learn that just because you CAN dribble in the open court doesn't mean you SHOULD in all cases. He can have the ball knocked out of his hands on drives in traffic and needs to learn when he holds the ball high (with his reach), few people can get at it. I've been told he's getting better at all of this and that "he's just now learning what he can do with his body" and "what people aren't able to do to him anymore now that he's 6-10.5, not 6-1".
- OMG moments: In a fairly boring part of the game, he broke the monotony with a flying-over-the-top block on a break...I sincerely thought he was going to concuss his head on the backboard he got so high. His reach looked like he could have blocked it with his elbow. I do remember the crowd had one of this "Ooooooo!" reactions. Felt like an NBA player checked into a PA 4-A game for one play. He can challenge shots in the lane from players other than his man. Later in the game he had a drive to the basket on a break where he did a smooth, gliding, side-step finger-roll around a defender trying to take a charge. While impressive, what got me was how easy it seemed. Guy I was with said "Last year he could do maybe one or two real WOW plays a game. This year he's doing it more like 4-6 times a game. Imagine what he'll be doing next year?" He can dunk and quite easily and had one that was high-level stuff. Because of his reach and smooth jumping, he does have some "hang time". With more strength, he'll be able to dunk off offensive boards, which I think is the next tool for him to add.
- JJ: While he's not (yet) at a Jarred Jeffries level, that was the first impression I got from watching him warm-up. The "kids-that-big-shouldn't-be-able-to-do-those-things" vibe. You see talented bigs that can shoot...but then asked to put it on the floor and they get ripped by quicker defenders because their dribble skills aren't there. That's not Moore. I watched JJ at BNHS and he had that knack for taking the ball high and making 2 and 3-dribble moves for pull-ups that even skilled bigs just can't do consistently. That's the sense you get with Moore. He's just hard to guard given his handle, reach and shooting touch. He's a challenge to tag with traditional "position", given what he can do consistently.
BBIQ: I'd say it's pretty high in the time I've watched. Those that watch him more say it's "really high". I watched him block a shot that most kids his age send to the 5th row, that he seemed to lightly tap the block to his teammate to start a break. Was told he's good with making good decisions in "game situations"...ie: won't take it in for a dunk if team is up late and better to hold for clock. His reputation as a student is well known. "He could go to the Ivys" was one comment I remember.
So upside is a smart kid, good handle, delicate shooting touch from mid-range and 3, athletic, "over the top" shot-blocking potential, and future foul-magnet. Downside is kid that needs weight, muscle and some realization that he's no longer 6-1.
Look forward to catching Hatboro this Winter. Will try and shoot/post some videos if possible.
